Pregnant and confused

Tinkerbell123_2

Hi all,

I have written on here before about something else and found the responses brilliant and really helpful so hoping to get the same on this long question.
I am 27 weeks pregnant, was going to be finishing work on 16th July 2010 but due to my back and the job i do being so physical I am leaving on the 22nd June, although I did have a weeks holiday booked home to see my family from the 23rd so only really leaving 2 weeks earlier than planned.
I am wanting to know what me and my partner can claim and what we are entitled to benefit wise as I think we are going to need help between now and September when the baby comes as obviously we can not claim child benefit or child tax credit as yet until he is born.
My partner works full time with an income of 14,250 a year, and lives soley off that.
I will be working full time up until 22nd but then my maternity allowance of 124 a week will start as of 12th July. We have no savings but do both have personal debt which we are going to have to keep paying which is part of the issue. We dont have alot but just have extra monthly payments on credit card, catalogue and overdraft. We pay these every month on time at the moment and have brought them down dramtically since we knew we were having a baby. All our money is our own and we half everything. It may sound odd as a couple but we find it works for us. We obviously treat each other to meals and nights out but generally we half all the bills, rent and pay our own personal debt.
We are hoping to work it so that my partner can keep all his own wages and then I will be paid the maternity alllowance , child tax credit anf benefit into my account for me to control, but over the next couple of months is there anything else we should claim to make living as easy as possible? Should we claim working tax credit now? Housing benefit? anything that may help us.
Many thanks

NASA_2

You are in every way a couple with regards to Social Security benefits and wont be entitled to any means tested benefit.

I'd like to think that with your household income that you wont be entitled to HB/LHA.

Tax credits - I think it depends on your age and whether you have any kids now.

flea72

whilst on mat leave, as a couple you will be entitled to a small amount of WTC

once baby arrives you will also be entitled to CTC

F

Tinkerbell123_2

Thank you for replies so far. You would think we can live comfortably but that is not the case. It is very expensive to live here in cornwall and I do think it is unfair that you have to be separated to be entitled too HB or help with the council tax really as that is the most expensive bill wehave at 137 pm. Its alot!